Fulbright Program

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program brings accomplished professionals from developing countries to the United States at a midpoint in their careers for a year of study and related professional experiences.  The Humphrey program was initiated in 1978 to honor the memory and accomplishments of the late Senator and Vice-President, Hubert H. Humphrey.  Fellows are selected on their potential for national leadership and commitment to public service.

The program provides a basis for establishing lasting ties between citizens of the United States and their professional counterparts in other countries, fostering an exchange of knowledge and mutual understanding throughout the world.

The Hubert H. Humphrey fellowship is a non-degree program.  Applicants should not assume that they could become degree candidates after they arrive in the U.S.

Fellowships are granted competitively to professional candidates with a commitment to public service in    either the public or private sector.  Below is the list of eligible fields:

- Agricultural Development/Agricultural Economics

- Educational Administration, Planning, and Policy

- HIV/AIDS Policy and Prevention

- Teaching of English as Foreign Language (Teacher Training or curriculum Development)

- Law and Human Rights

- Communications/Journalism

- Natural Resources/Environment Policy/Climate Change

- Urban and Regional Planning

- Technology Policy and Management

- Human Resource Management

- Finance and Banking

- Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration

- Trafficking in Persons, Policy and Prevention

Application/Selection Process

Interested applicants may apply on official forms no later than May 15, 2009.  Application forms are available from the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy Kigali.  Successful candidates of the first stage of selection will be interviewed.  Finalists will be invited to submit online applications. After national selection, independent review committees review final nominations in the United States and make recommendations to the J. William Fulbright Scholarship Board.  Awards are announced annually in April for fellowships beginning in June/July.

There is no strict age requirement.  Nominees typically range in age from late 20’s to mid 50’s.  A candidate’s age will be considered in light of professional experience and maturity; lder candidates must demonstrate continued potential advancement.

Eligibility requirements:

Minimum of five years of professional experience prior to August 2009 commensurate with the type of study and training they seek, and should be policy rather than research or technically oriented;

Candidates MUST have completed a university degree program requiring at least four years of full-time study and sufficient to qualify the candidate for admission to U.S. graduate study;

Candidates should be proficient in both written and spoken English with a minimum test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 525;

In general, candidates should have both the need to participate in the program and the potential to benefit from it.  They should demonstrate the required experience, skills, and commitment while also indicating how they can benefit from this program in ways that they have not already experienced;

Candidates must have demonstrated leadership qualities and a record of public service;

A candidate may be removed from consideration if he/she does not meet all the technical eligibility requirements;

Ineligible candidates include recent university undergraduates (even if they have significant positions), university teachers with no management responsibilities, and individuals who have attended a graduate school in the United States for one academic year between August 2004 and August 2009;

Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status may not apply to the program, since they are ineligible for a J visa;

Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

The Humphrey Fellowship provides international travel, tuition and university fees, accident/sickness insurance (but does not include pre-existing conditions and pregnancy), monthly maintenance allowance and funding for books and professional activities.  The Humphrey program does NOT provide financial support for accompanying dependents.

The Humphrey program offers a long-term English (LTE) training opportunity to facilitate the participation of qualified applicants who may be excellent candidates  but are lacking  the necessary language skills. LTE participants will be brought to the U.S. for an intensive 20-30 week pre-academic program to improve their language skills. TOEFL score for LTE candidates is 440-500.